Bullying and stress in the NHS
Bullying exists in every organization everywhere in the world. Some teams admit it, some just sweep it under the carpet.
However when things go wrong - ie members of the organization call in sick due to stress, or worse- commit suicide it wakes everyone up.
The NHS is no exception - we do have amazing people who go way beyond to help others and hearing their passionate stories is very motivating. However, there are some bad people. Bad people exist everywhere - in our families, in our workplace, on the road- we know who these toxic people are but sometimes, we just 'let it go' as we 'cannot be bothered': This attitude is what destroys an organization. This IS our home. We are the future of the NHS and hence it is our duty to look after it and the people working in it.
I am going to explain different ways we can raise concerns and make the NHS a better place.
BULLYING:
Unfortunately, not a lot of people are aware of systems which have been put in place to speak up. One such system is "Freedom to Speak up". This is what this is about: ://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/freedom-to-speak-up-whistleblowing-policy-for-the-nhs/ Find out who your Freedom to Speak up Guardian is (Talk to your HR if you do not know). If you have any concerns, raise them with that Guardian so that the bully is fed back about what (s)he has done (anonymously). People who can support you are: 1. Your supervisor 2. Your colleagues ( The doctors mess is an amazing place to vent out- just be careful whom you vent out to. That SHO may be in a relationship with the consultant/registrar you are moaning about ) 3. Freedom to speak up Guardian 4. Chief registrar (if your trust has one). 5. Occupational health if you feel you are going through a lot of stress - they can direct you to the right professionals if you need any help. 6. Also ask HR - usually they inform the new doctors about whom to contact in induction. They can be very supportive in directing you to the right people.
7. Your deanery - TPDs , college tutors and associate college tutors can also help if it is a training related issue. Other helpful links: https://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/retain-and-improve/staff-experience/tackling-bullying-in-the-nhs https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/bullying-at-work/ https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/6/e002628 Remember, if you see someone bully another colleague, ask him/her to speak up.
Here are some examples:
1. A consultant was very rude to a FY1 on a regular basis. It was also noted that he was passing insensitive remarks about IMGs - he was reported to the GMC in the trainees survey by another trainee SHO:
https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/how-we-quality-assure/national-training-surveys
The GMC took this very seriously and emailed the management. They then started questioning other trainees in that team, the nurses in charge, other consultants and they all had concerns. He had to step down as director and there is a long investigation which is ongoing.
2. A consultant was noticed not to support the ward juniors and the junior doctors went to the directorate and informed them that they felt unsupported. He was warned but did not change his ways and hence was asked to leave.
3. A radiology consultant greeted any doctor with 'shut up, I am working. Leave your silly request here and I will look into it when I am free'. Her job lasted a few weeks in the trust.
4. A registrar refused to see sick unwell patients on the ward and did not help with clerking. He used to misbehave with anyone who tried to bleep him. A GPST1 trainee raised this to the guardian of safe working who then contacted the ED team, ward managers, nurses in charge, other doctors on his team, the registrar taking handovers from him and they all informed the Guardian about his horrible attitude. He was dismissed from the trust.
As you can see, it does not matter what grade you are- you can still report any doctor who is unsafe and makes you feel unsupported. HOWEVER, with this COMES BIG RESPONSIBILITY.
You need to be dead sure before you go on reporting someone. The team will look into it in detail. They contact consultants, registrars, junior doctors, nurses, managers who have worked with that doctor and if they all have concerns, then the doctor is investigated - this may be locally or via the GMC.
So, things are changing rapidly and I would request anyone who thinks (s)he can get away with bullying and being unsafe, think again. Because trusts are working very hard to identify, warn and then remove such bullies.
COMMON MYTHS
I am a non trainee and hence I cannot report anyone.
This is not true. I know quite a few non trainee IMG doctors who escalated concerns.
I am worried that the consultant/registrar will come after me.
Personal experience - they do not! Because it is not just you who has reported them. It is other MDT members.
I am a trainee and I am worried about my ARCP.
Personal experience - it does not affect your ARCP. Again, you are not the only one reporting the concerned health care professional.
(S)he is the nurse in charge/matron/medical director!
There is always a team of people above that person who can feed this back and observe that person to ensure (s)he does not do it again.
I sometimes become a bit short tempered with other health care professionals. Will I be reported?
We all understand that this is a highly stressful job however being short tempered with anyone is unacceptable. I would strongly suggest that you reflect upon it and see what the triggering factors are - try to work on them. Also, apologize to the person immediately. We all do this. Saying sorry like you genuinely mean it helps a lot. It breaks barriers and also makes the other person realize that you are just human. If you do this, you will notice a drastic change and will become a friendlier and more supportive colleague.
OVERWORKED STAFF
This happens when there is not enough staff. A lot of people want to ignore it but then the ward ends up being critically understaffed - mistakes happen and a junior doctors gets a complaint due to an error which could have been avoided.
This is how you can go about it:
1. Talk to the rota team
2. Establish a minimum staffing level on the ward - how many FY1 doctors, how many SHOs and how many middle grade doctors should be around. The consultants, management and rota team should be in agreement.
3. Talk to the consultants working on the ward - send a mass email to all of them informing them how dangerously staffed the ward is, CC the rota team into it and keep emailing them. They eventually listen - this is my personal experience.
4. Exception report when you stay on the ward late due to understaffing- This is a system whereby you fill out a form and mention why you stayed late, how late you stayed in and this form is then countersigned by your consultant and then it goes to the rota team who either:
- Give you those hours off in lieu - known as time off in lieu ( TOIL)
- Pay you for those hours you stayed late.
Also read this:
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/contracts/junior-doctor-contract/exception-reporting
https://www.nhsemployers.org/pay-pensions-and-reward/medical-staff/doctors-and-dentists-in-training/rostering-and-exception-reporting
THIS IS WHAT I DO WHEN THE WARD IS UNDERSTAFFED:
1. I call the rota team at 0900 AM sharp informing them that this is unsafe, it is stressful and we will not be able to discharge patients as much as we will be focusing on only the unwell patients as they will be the priority. I suggest whom they can request to cover my ward by looking at the rota myself - this always helps.
2. I inform the ward manager and discharge coordinator as well.
3. The rota team usually send a SHO ASAP however if they do not ( which they haven't done- yet), I plan to email the management - after working as a trainee registrar in this trust I know the right people who can make things happen.
THE ROLE OF THE ROTA TEAM IN UNDERSTAFFING
How does the rota team staff wards at such short notice:
They have a list of the wards and the minimum staff on each ward and if it is below this, they need to sort out cover ASAP.
The rota team always keeps a few 'floater' doctors whom they can request to cover understaffed wards. For example, a FY3 SHO ( ie a former foundation trainee who has taken a year out after completing his foundation training and is now a non trainee) is currently working on the respiratory ward where there are 2 FY1s, 2 SHOs and 2 registrars ( there are 30 patients and the minimum staffing is 4 doctors) and the SHO on cardiology has called in sick leaving the ward with 1 FY1, 1 SHO and 1 registrar who also needs to see referrals, the rota team might send the FY3 doctor from respiratory to cardiology to cover the gap.
This is how they do it:
1. The rota team can move doctors from well staffed wards to such understaffed wards.
2. They have a list of doctors who are able to locum at short notice.
3. They have access to locum agencies who can arrange locum doctors to staff the ward.
4. If they have a WhatsApp group ( my previous trust did and it worked amazingly well - just imagine, all junior doctors on one platform which is the most commonly used and checked ), the rota team can ask there.
There is no excuse why the rota team cannot do this. I did not have a single shift on the ward or on my on call where I was understaffed thanks to the very proactive rota coordinators- even as a non trainee.
WHAT TO DO IF THE ROTA COORDINATORS CANNOT HELP:
This is their job! They are paid to coordinate the rota - hence their title. If they cannot do their job properly, you need to raise it:1. Your supervisor 2. The consultants on that ward 3. Freedom to speak up Guardian 4. Chief registrar (if your trust has one).
5. Directorate if necessary - usually the first 3 people sort it out.
HELP THE ROTA COORDINATORS I have always been on very friendly terms with my rota coordinators. I have seen what a horrible task they have - people call in sick all the time who are actually unwell. Upto 3 to 4 doctors can call in sick however with a proper plan, the rota team can easily manage this. They need to be organized and have a list of doctors who are available to help, as I mentioned above.
These are ways in which we can help: 1. Have a look at the rota ourselves and see which ward is adequately staffed 2. Call them ASAP - please do not delay this till 4 PM when all hell has broken loose! 3. Volunteer to help whenever you can. If you are on good terms with them, they will go out of their way to favor you ( within reason - do not expect to get 50 annual leaves if you agreed to come in on a busy weekend).
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE NHS
IMGs suffer more than anyone else as they are:
1. New to the system - this is a completely new thing for them: they are overwhelmed with responsibility from paying bills to passing the driving test. It is not an easy journey.
2. They are away from their families - IMGs are extremely close to their families even when they are in college.
If you suffer from anxiety, depression, stress please do not take this lightly. You will be amazed at how many support systems there are out there. We assume that given that the mental health teams and CRISIS teams are so busy, we will not get the right support in a timely manner.
Here are some ways you can get help:
1. Your supervisor - they can refer you to local support services.
2. Your GP - who can give you sick leave
3. Occupational health - who can suggest amendments to your rota if you are unable to cope ( and there is evidence that you cannot cope)
And most importantly,
WE CAN HELP:
If you notice your colleague calling in sick, is unusually quiet, looks tired, sad - talk to him/her. It is very difficult for people going through this to reach out at times. It is our duty to ensure that our colleagues are okay . Even a small question ' Is everything okay with you? Do you need a lift home and we can talk' can help.
Please do not ignore the health care professional sitting in the corner - they are crying for help however they may not be able to reach out. And we can help. This is a vicious cycle and only those people can understand who have been through it or seen a loved one go through this.
Some examples:
1. A non trainee doctor who had just started ( Dr X) was noticed to be struggling by a consultant (Dr Y) from another team, she noticed how the consultants ( DR A) and registrar (Dr B) ( unfortunately they were IMGs as well) were harassing him during the on call handover and she spoke to another consultant (Dr Z- who was also an IMG) who interviewed Dr X and was involved in supporting doctors who struggled. Dr Z immediately met with her, despite her busy consultant post and supported her ( Dr X) throughout this time. She was broken, depressed and did not know what to do. Dr Z personally ensured that Dr X would work under her supervision. She even texted DR X and met with her every week to ensure she was not struggling and slowly introduced her to the system, got her the right support( GP, occupational health, psychologist- all referrals made by Dr Z and Dr X was seen within a week) and her mental health improved drastically.
2. A trainee was unable to cope with long shifts. He was calling in sick all the time due to stress. There is a policy in some trusts that there is a return to work meeting after a doctor has sick leave. The management identifies any element of stress and then escalates it. In this case, the doctor could not cope with long hours and night shifts. He was referred to occupational health and then the rota team was informed to make adjustments to his on call rota. He continued to have meetings with the occupational health team and a drastic change was seen in his confidence, patient care and he was slowly put back on the regular rota.
Common myths
1. The mental health team is so busy. They could not review a patient who was at high risk of self harm. How will they assess me?
This is not true- occupational health exists for this every reason and there is a dedicated team of professionals to help health care providers. Your GP can see you within a day ( call at 0800/0900 when the GP surgery opens and get an urgent appointment). The occupational health team can see you within hours and ensure you are seen by the appropriate professionals within a few days.
2. Since he can do it, so can I. I just need to stay strong.
Yes, you can try this BUT please do not push yourself. Everyone has a different way of handling things , a different personality and if you feel you are struggling, get help.
3. I have got a lovely family I can talk to.
Yes, you can try this. Family and friends always help. However if you feel you cannot cope, get professional help before it is too late!
4. It is just because I am spoilt.
This is a common misconception in our home countries - depression is a disease, which is treatable. People are stigmatized and hence do not get the right support there. However, things are improving now.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
As I run this blog and a few Facebook Groups, I get my own share of being bullied. This is what I have been though:
1. An IMG consultant threatened to report me - sadly she was from my own country and this was only because I suggested certain changes to an organization she was making to help IMG doctors. I now steer away as far as possible from consultants from my home country for this very reason and maintain a professional relationship at work.
2. I have been cursed and sworn at- just because I deleted someone's comments which were insensitive.
3. I have been reported to the Facebook team for running a 'fake profile'
4. Once, a renowned PLAB academy tried to sue me because I did not allow any posts as their advertisements on one of the groups I was moderating despite this being part of the rules.
I am glad that I have an amazing team of people who support me and look after me and hence, I was not affected by any of these situations. It also opened my eyes that not everyone is a nice person.
Here is an example from a colleague:
A screenshot of his post on a Facebook group was emailed to his medical director by an IMG colleague just because the IMG colleagues did not agree with his post. The medical director met with the doctor and actually found it completely absurd and supported him. He was actually recognized for his contribution towards the IMG community and is now actively involved in supporting new IMG doctors in his trust- so this was a blessing in disguise.
Solution:
The best way forward is to just block such people from social media ( it is so easy- just one button and they will not be able to see your posts). You can use social media in 2 ways - become a keyboard warrior and argue with everyone or spread happiness and positivity by sharing personal experiences and supporting your colleagues.
MY MISSION:
I want to make the NHS a better and safer place. I have learnt a lot from colleagues and still have a lot to learn. I want the NHS to be a happy, safe place to work in. I have been very fortunate to work in amazing trusts with extremely supportive teams and this made a huge difference in my work ethic and personality. As a trainee registrar, I try my best to support not only doctors but nurses and I am working hard to help people escalate concerns if required and get them the right support.
If we look after each other, we can flourish not only as an organization but as individuals. Let's make a difference, together and pull each other up by providing the right support at the right time.
This blog is dedicated to the amazing IMG and British health care professionals I have met since I started in the NHS in January, 2016 - Thank you!
However when things go wrong - ie members of the organization call in sick due to stress, or worse- commit suicide it wakes everyone up.
The NHS is no exception - we do have amazing people who go way beyond to help others and hearing their passionate stories is very motivating. However, there are some bad people. Bad people exist everywhere - in our families, in our workplace, on the road- we know who these toxic people are but sometimes, we just 'let it go' as we 'cannot be bothered': This attitude is what destroys an organization. This IS our home. We are the future of the NHS and hence it is our duty to look after it and the people working in it.
I am going to explain different ways we can raise concerns and make the NHS a better place.
BULLYING:
Unfortunately, not a lot of people are aware of systems which have been put in place to speak up. One such system is "Freedom to Speak up". This is what this is about: ://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/freedom-to-speak-up-whistleblowing-policy-for-the-nhs/ Find out who your Freedom to Speak up Guardian is (Talk to your HR if you do not know). If you have any concerns, raise them with that Guardian so that the bully is fed back about what (s)he has done (anonymously). People who can support you are: 1. Your supervisor 2. Your colleagues ( The doctors mess is an amazing place to vent out- just be careful whom you vent out to. That SHO may be in a relationship with the consultant/registrar you are moaning about ) 3. Freedom to speak up Guardian 4. Chief registrar (if your trust has one). 5. Occupational health if you feel you are going through a lot of stress - they can direct you to the right professionals if you need any help. 6. Also ask HR - usually they inform the new doctors about whom to contact in induction. They can be very supportive in directing you to the right people.
7. Your deanery - TPDs , college tutors and associate college tutors can also help if it is a training related issue. Other helpful links: https://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/retain-and-improve/staff-experience/tackling-bullying-in-the-nhs https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/bullying-at-work/ https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/6/e002628 Remember, if you see someone bully another colleague, ask him/her to speak up.
Here are some examples:
1. A consultant was very rude to a FY1 on a regular basis. It was also noted that he was passing insensitive remarks about IMGs - he was reported to the GMC in the trainees survey by another trainee SHO:
https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/how-we-quality-assure/national-training-surveys
The GMC took this very seriously and emailed the management. They then started questioning other trainees in that team, the nurses in charge, other consultants and they all had concerns. He had to step down as director and there is a long investigation which is ongoing.
2. A consultant was noticed not to support the ward juniors and the junior doctors went to the directorate and informed them that they felt unsupported. He was warned but did not change his ways and hence was asked to leave.
3. A radiology consultant greeted any doctor with 'shut up, I am working. Leave your silly request here and I will look into it when I am free'. Her job lasted a few weeks in the trust.
4. A registrar refused to see sick unwell patients on the ward and did not help with clerking. He used to misbehave with anyone who tried to bleep him. A GPST1 trainee raised this to the guardian of safe working who then contacted the ED team, ward managers, nurses in charge, other doctors on his team, the registrar taking handovers from him and they all informed the Guardian about his horrible attitude. He was dismissed from the trust.
As you can see, it does not matter what grade you are- you can still report any doctor who is unsafe and makes you feel unsupported. HOWEVER, with this COMES BIG RESPONSIBILITY.
You need to be dead sure before you go on reporting someone. The team will look into it in detail. They contact consultants, registrars, junior doctors, nurses, managers who have worked with that doctor and if they all have concerns, then the doctor is investigated - this may be locally or via the GMC.
So, things are changing rapidly and I would request anyone who thinks (s)he can get away with bullying and being unsafe, think again. Because trusts are working very hard to identify, warn and then remove such bullies.
COMMON MYTHS
I am a non trainee and hence I cannot report anyone.
This is not true. I know quite a few non trainee IMG doctors who escalated concerns.
I am worried that the consultant/registrar will come after me.
Personal experience - they do not! Because it is not just you who has reported them. It is other MDT members.
I am a trainee and I am worried about my ARCP.
Personal experience - it does not affect your ARCP. Again, you are not the only one reporting the concerned health care professional.
(S)he is the nurse in charge/matron/medical director!
There is always a team of people above that person who can feed this back and observe that person to ensure (s)he does not do it again.
I sometimes become a bit short tempered with other health care professionals. Will I be reported?
We all understand that this is a highly stressful job however being short tempered with anyone is unacceptable. I would strongly suggest that you reflect upon it and see what the triggering factors are - try to work on them. Also, apologize to the person immediately. We all do this. Saying sorry like you genuinely mean it helps a lot. It breaks barriers and also makes the other person realize that you are just human. If you do this, you will notice a drastic change and will become a friendlier and more supportive colleague.
OVERWORKED STAFF
This happens when there is not enough staff. A lot of people want to ignore it but then the ward ends up being critically understaffed - mistakes happen and a junior doctors gets a complaint due to an error which could have been avoided.
This is how you can go about it:
1. Talk to the rota team
2. Establish a minimum staffing level on the ward - how many FY1 doctors, how many SHOs and how many middle grade doctors should be around. The consultants, management and rota team should be in agreement.
3. Talk to the consultants working on the ward - send a mass email to all of them informing them how dangerously staffed the ward is, CC the rota team into it and keep emailing them. They eventually listen - this is my personal experience.
4. Exception report when you stay on the ward late due to understaffing- This is a system whereby you fill out a form and mention why you stayed late, how late you stayed in and this form is then countersigned by your consultant and then it goes to the rota team who either:
- Give you those hours off in lieu - known as time off in lieu ( TOIL)
- Pay you for those hours you stayed late.
Also read this:
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/contracts/junior-doctor-contract/exception-reporting
https://www.nhsemployers.org/pay-pensions-and-reward/medical-staff/doctors-and-dentists-in-training/rostering-and-exception-reporting
THIS IS WHAT I DO WHEN THE WARD IS UNDERSTAFFED:
1. I call the rota team at 0900 AM sharp informing them that this is unsafe, it is stressful and we will not be able to discharge patients as much as we will be focusing on only the unwell patients as they will be the priority. I suggest whom they can request to cover my ward by looking at the rota myself - this always helps.
2. I inform the ward manager and discharge coordinator as well.
3. The rota team usually send a SHO ASAP however if they do not ( which they haven't done- yet), I plan to email the management - after working as a trainee registrar in this trust I know the right people who can make things happen.
THE ROLE OF THE ROTA TEAM IN UNDERSTAFFING
How does the rota team staff wards at such short notice:
They have a list of the wards and the minimum staff on each ward and if it is below this, they need to sort out cover ASAP.
The rota team always keeps a few 'floater' doctors whom they can request to cover understaffed wards. For example, a FY3 SHO ( ie a former foundation trainee who has taken a year out after completing his foundation training and is now a non trainee) is currently working on the respiratory ward where there are 2 FY1s, 2 SHOs and 2 registrars ( there are 30 patients and the minimum staffing is 4 doctors) and the SHO on cardiology has called in sick leaving the ward with 1 FY1, 1 SHO and 1 registrar who also needs to see referrals, the rota team might send the FY3 doctor from respiratory to cardiology to cover the gap.
This is how they do it:
1. The rota team can move doctors from well staffed wards to such understaffed wards.
2. They have a list of doctors who are able to locum at short notice.
3. They have access to locum agencies who can arrange locum doctors to staff the ward.
4. If they have a WhatsApp group ( my previous trust did and it worked amazingly well - just imagine, all junior doctors on one platform which is the most commonly used and checked ), the rota team can ask there.
There is no excuse why the rota team cannot do this. I did not have a single shift on the ward or on my on call where I was understaffed thanks to the very proactive rota coordinators- even as a non trainee.
WHAT TO DO IF THE ROTA COORDINATORS CANNOT HELP:
This is their job! They are paid to coordinate the rota - hence their title. If they cannot do their job properly, you need to raise it:1. Your supervisor 2. The consultants on that ward 3. Freedom to speak up Guardian 4. Chief registrar (if your trust has one).
5. Directorate if necessary - usually the first 3 people sort it out.
HELP THE ROTA COORDINATORS I have always been on very friendly terms with my rota coordinators. I have seen what a horrible task they have - people call in sick all the time who are actually unwell. Upto 3 to 4 doctors can call in sick however with a proper plan, the rota team can easily manage this. They need to be organized and have a list of doctors who are available to help, as I mentioned above.
These are ways in which we can help: 1. Have a look at the rota ourselves and see which ward is adequately staffed 2. Call them ASAP - please do not delay this till 4 PM when all hell has broken loose! 3. Volunteer to help whenever you can. If you are on good terms with them, they will go out of their way to favor you ( within reason - do not expect to get 50 annual leaves if you agreed to come in on a busy weekend).
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE NHS
IMGs suffer more than anyone else as they are:
1. New to the system - this is a completely new thing for them: they are overwhelmed with responsibility from paying bills to passing the driving test. It is not an easy journey.
2. They are away from their families - IMGs are extremely close to their families even when they are in college.
If you suffer from anxiety, depression, stress please do not take this lightly. You will be amazed at how many support systems there are out there. We assume that given that the mental health teams and CRISIS teams are so busy, we will not get the right support in a timely manner.
Here are some ways you can get help:
1. Your supervisor - they can refer you to local support services.
2. Your GP - who can give you sick leave
3. Occupational health - who can suggest amendments to your rota if you are unable to cope ( and there is evidence that you cannot cope)
And most importantly,
WE CAN HELP:
If you notice your colleague calling in sick, is unusually quiet, looks tired, sad - talk to him/her. It is very difficult for people going through this to reach out at times. It is our duty to ensure that our colleagues are okay . Even a small question ' Is everything okay with you? Do you need a lift home and we can talk' can help.
Please do not ignore the health care professional sitting in the corner - they are crying for help however they may not be able to reach out. And we can help. This is a vicious cycle and only those people can understand who have been through it or seen a loved one go through this.
Some examples:
1. A non trainee doctor who had just started ( Dr X) was noticed to be struggling by a consultant (Dr Y) from another team, she noticed how the consultants ( DR A) and registrar (Dr B) ( unfortunately they were IMGs as well) were harassing him during the on call handover and she spoke to another consultant (Dr Z- who was also an IMG) who interviewed Dr X and was involved in supporting doctors who struggled. Dr Z immediately met with her, despite her busy consultant post and supported her ( Dr X) throughout this time. She was broken, depressed and did not know what to do. Dr Z personally ensured that Dr X would work under her supervision. She even texted DR X and met with her every week to ensure she was not struggling and slowly introduced her to the system, got her the right support( GP, occupational health, psychologist- all referrals made by Dr Z and Dr X was seen within a week) and her mental health improved drastically.
2. A trainee was unable to cope with long shifts. He was calling in sick all the time due to stress. There is a policy in some trusts that there is a return to work meeting after a doctor has sick leave. The management identifies any element of stress and then escalates it. In this case, the doctor could not cope with long hours and night shifts. He was referred to occupational health and then the rota team was informed to make adjustments to his on call rota. He continued to have meetings with the occupational health team and a drastic change was seen in his confidence, patient care and he was slowly put back on the regular rota.
Common myths
1. The mental health team is so busy. They could not review a patient who was at high risk of self harm. How will they assess me?
This is not true- occupational health exists for this every reason and there is a dedicated team of professionals to help health care providers. Your GP can see you within a day ( call at 0800/0900 when the GP surgery opens and get an urgent appointment). The occupational health team can see you within hours and ensure you are seen by the appropriate professionals within a few days.
2. Since he can do it, so can I. I just need to stay strong.
Yes, you can try this BUT please do not push yourself. Everyone has a different way of handling things , a different personality and if you feel you are struggling, get help.
3. I have got a lovely family I can talk to.
Yes, you can try this. Family and friends always help. However if you feel you cannot cope, get professional help before it is too late!
4. It is just because I am spoilt.
This is a common misconception in our home countries - depression is a disease, which is treatable. People are stigmatized and hence do not get the right support there. However, things are improving now.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
As I run this blog and a few Facebook Groups, I get my own share of being bullied. This is what I have been though:
1. An IMG consultant threatened to report me - sadly she was from my own country and this was only because I suggested certain changes to an organization she was making to help IMG doctors. I now steer away as far as possible from consultants from my home country for this very reason and maintain a professional relationship at work.
2. I have been cursed and sworn at- just because I deleted someone's comments which were insensitive.
3. I have been reported to the Facebook team for running a 'fake profile'
4. Once, a renowned PLAB academy tried to sue me because I did not allow any posts as their advertisements on one of the groups I was moderating despite this being part of the rules.
I am glad that I have an amazing team of people who support me and look after me and hence, I was not affected by any of these situations. It also opened my eyes that not everyone is a nice person.
Here is an example from a colleague:
A screenshot of his post on a Facebook group was emailed to his medical director by an IMG colleague just because the IMG colleagues did not agree with his post. The medical director met with the doctor and actually found it completely absurd and supported him. He was actually recognized for his contribution towards the IMG community and is now actively involved in supporting new IMG doctors in his trust- so this was a blessing in disguise.
Solution:
The best way forward is to just block such people from social media ( it is so easy- just one button and they will not be able to see your posts). You can use social media in 2 ways - become a keyboard warrior and argue with everyone or spread happiness and positivity by sharing personal experiences and supporting your colleagues.
MY MISSION:
I want to make the NHS a better and safer place. I have learnt a lot from colleagues and still have a lot to learn. I want the NHS to be a happy, safe place to work in. I have been very fortunate to work in amazing trusts with extremely supportive teams and this made a huge difference in my work ethic and personality. As a trainee registrar, I try my best to support not only doctors but nurses and I am working hard to help people escalate concerns if required and get them the right support.
If we look after each other, we can flourish not only as an organization but as individuals. Let's make a difference, together and pull each other up by providing the right support at the right time.
This blog is dedicated to the amazing IMG and British health care professionals I have met since I started in the NHS in January, 2016 - Thank you!
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